The Loeb Classical Library is an essential set for anyone studying the classics. Founded by James Loeb in the early 20th century, the series was designed to make Greek and Latin classics accessible to everyone.

Loeb felt that reading Greek and Latin literature was of great value, writing:

It has always seemed to me a pity that the young people of our generation should grow up with such scant knowledge of Greek and Latin literature, its wealth and variety, its freshness and its imperishable quality. The day is past when schools could afford to give sufficient time and attention to the teaching of the ancient languages to enable the student to get that enjoyment out of classical literature that made the lives of our grandfathers so rich. The demand for something “more practical,” the large variety of subjects that must be taught, are crowding hard upon the Humanities.

To “make the beauty and learning, the philosophy and wit of the great writers of ancient Greece and Rome” accessible, Loeb paired Greek and Latin texts with English translations on facing pages for easy reference. The iconic print books were created in a size that could easily fit in a pocket for ready access.

The Noet editions, based on the iconic Loeb Classical Library print texts, continue James Loeb’s mission of making these timeless classics accessible. With Noet, you can read the original-language texts and translations side-by-side, scrolling in sync. Search your library for a specific word or phrase. See Greek and Latin gloss and morphology with a single click. And, with the free Noet app, you can take your entire library everywhere.

Save 46% on the Loeb Classical Library Builder when you order by December 31. Learn more.

Noet’s smart study tools and libraries of hand-selected texts are designed to help you:

Save time

Your Noet Research Library is a database of information. You can search you entire library, a specific series, or book for a word, phrase, or topic. Your books link together, so references link to source texts, letting you jump between works with ease.

Writing a scholarly paper? You can cite your sources automatically, make searchable notes and highlights, and upload your own papers.

Plus, with the Noet app, you can put your library on your mobile devices. Your books, notes, and highlights can go where you go. Start studying the philosophy of Wittgenstein on your iPhone on the bus, then pick up right where you left off on your laptop at home.

With Noet, you can spend less time flipping through books and more time studying.

Study in Greek or Latin

Even if you don’t know Greek or Latin, Noet can help you read works in their original languages. Greek and Latin gloss, morphology, and lemmas are just a click away. Plus, you can set a primary source to scroll in sync with its English language translation.

With Noet’s smart study tools, your dictionaries connect directly to your original-language works. Let’s say that you’re reading Caesar’s The Gallic War and want to see the English definition of “colloquium.” Simply click on the word and Noet will take you to your dictionary of choice. Here you can find definitions, quotes from classical sources, references and more.

While looking through the entry, does a quote or reference catch your eye? Let’s say that you want to see a quote from Lucretius’ On the Nature of Things. Simply click on it and Noet will take you there.

See historical events in context

Noet Research Libraries include an interactive timeline of world history. Is a date referenced in a book? Click on it to jump to Noet’s Timeline to see other significant events.

Want to see what was happening during a particular era? The Timeline is completely searchable.

With Noet’s Timeline, you can better understand how works across the ages influenced historical events and vice versa.

Discover new connections

Over the centuries, writers have been in conversation with each other. For example, the discussion surrounding freedom of expression can be found in sources as diverse as the Old and New Testament, the ancient comedies of Aristophanes, the poetry of Milton, and the political theory of John Stuart Mill. Homer, Euripides, Chaucer, Shakespeare, Henry James, and others wrote about fate. Plato, Locke, Kant, Wittgenstein and other philosophers debated the nature of knowledge.

With Noet’s connected library, you can join this conversation like never before. With smart searches and linked books, you can trace the discussion across texts, time, and genre. You’ll be able to better understand the development of ideas, relationships between schools of thought, and how each writer influenced those who came after him or her.

Go deeper in your study

Having a Noet Research Library is like having your own research assistant. Need to find every mention of knowledge in Spinoza’s works? A simple search will pull up every reference in seconds. With Noet, you can spend less time gathering data and more time analyzing it, drawing conclusions, and developing your arguments.

In case if you’re wondering “So, what’s so great about the Great Books?” here are three reasons why you should read this foundational series:

Join the great conversation

Humankind has always been inquisitive, striving to understand the meaning of life, the nature of knowledge, the mysteries of love, and more.

The Great Books series celebrates this rich tradition of inquiry. Each of the 517 works examines major questions and ideas. Together, they create a conversation spanning the centuries.

For example, Homer’s Iliad comments on the nature of happiness. Greek tragedian Sophocles adds to this discussion with his Oedipus at Colonus. Then, Plato joins in with his dialogues. Hundreds of years later, Aquinas’ Summa Theologica adds to the conversation. Fast forward to 1948, and Samuel Beckett is chiming in with Waiting for Godot. Together, all of the authors’ works form a great conversation, spanning over 2,700 years. And this is just one of the thousands of discussions taking place in the Great Books.

With Noet, you can join the conversation like never before. Make your own searchable notes and highlights that sync across your devices. You can even upload your own papers and articles to the software and make them searchable. Plus, with Noet Groups you can form your own reading groups and share insights with others.

2. See how ideas have changed (and endured) over time

The Great Books of the Western Worlds contains more than influential works—it includes the 2-volume Syntopicon, an index to 102 major ideas and 3,000 sub-topics that unite the 517 works and define the Western tradition.

The major ideas include Angel, Courage, Eternity, Evolution, Family, God, Good and Evil, Life and Death, Prophecy, Religion, Science, Sin, War and Peace, and more.

The Syntopicon provides an introduction to each idea and traces its development over the course of history. It also references each place it is discussed in the Great Books.

With Noet, the Syntopicon is more accessible than ever. Each reference is hand-tagged, so you can jump from a reference to the source text with a simple click. Instead of flipping through pages and searching for the right book, you can spend your time analyzing the great ideas.

3. Explore the past, understand the present

The inspiration for the Great Books series was the belief that every person deserved a top-notch liberal arts education. The creators of the series, former University of Chicago president Robert Hutchins and philosopher Mortimer Adler, believed that the purpose of education was to develop the whole person—his or her spirit of inquiry, character, and critical thinking skills.

Through reading the Great Books, you can explore the origins of modern Western culture. Many beliefs and values that people hold today have been developing over the course of centuries. Delve into the ancient roots of democracy, liberty, and other continuing ideals. Investigate how these ideas were presented, debated, and defended.

Even if you don’t agree with all of the authors, exploring their arguments can help you strengthen your own beliefs, sharpen your critical thinking skills, and illuminate the diverse worldviews that exist today.

With the Great Books, you can discover humanity’s past and understand the present.

For over 500 years, Oxford University Press has published authoritative works by leading scholars. With the five-volume Oxford Humanities Reference Collection, you can incorporate this renowned scholarship into your study.

Together, these five volumes provide a comprehensive guide to Western thought—from its roots in classical antiquity, all the way up to the present day. Plus, with Noet’s advanced tagging, these exceptional reference works connect to relevant resources in your library, helping you discover new connections and see ideas in context.

For the exploration of humanity’s past, present, and future, this collection is indispensable.